Agyapa deal is good for Ghana - PR Practitioner

A Public Relations Practitioner, Mr Razak Kojo Opoku, has described the Agyapa Royalties deal as a better way of leveraging the country’s mineral resources for the benefit of all.

He said the deal has the potential for advancing the socio-economic and infrastructural needs of the country.

The decision of the government to list the Agyapa Royalties on the stock market was aimed at raising revenue for national development and it was never for the personal benefit of family members of President Akufo-Addo as alleged by members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

He said the concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament and CSOs against the Agyapa Royalties deal had been addressed by the government.

“The government, therefore, through the Ministry of Finance engaged the CSOs to listen to their views in order to better sharpen the Agyapa Royalties deal,” he said.

Special Prosecutor

“In accordance with the advice of the then Special Prosecutor, the government referred the Agyapa Royalties deal to Parliament for proper scrutiny, value for money audit, transparency and accountability,” he said.

But the 7th Parliament could not thoroughly discuss the Agyapa contract before its dissolution on the January 6, 2021.

Mr Opoku, who is also the Public Relations Manager of the National Lotteries Authority (NLA) and a staunch member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) said the government’s resubmission of the Agyapa deal to the Legislature was for Parliament to deliberate, scrutinise and consider the deal.

“Quite frankly, it is very appropriate and in order for the re-submission of the Agyapa Royalties deal to the new Parliament,” he stated.

“It is also very important to state that Databank has withdrawn their services as a partner and transaction advisor in the Agyapa Royalties deal largely due to the several unjustifiable attacks on Databank,” Mr Opoku said.

He said the decision of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to send the Agyapa Royalties back to Parliament considering the split number of Parliament between the two major parties (137 NPP: 137 NDC: 1 Independent) clearly demonstrated that the NPP government wanted the best ever deal from the Agyapa Royalties.

National consensus

He said taking the Agyapa deal back to Parliament would help the country to achieve a national consensus building for the deal and clear all doubts, about the contract.

That, he said, would help to correct the misinformation by some political actors and CSOs against the deal.

“It will secure a better deal for the collective benefits of all Ghanaians, build public confidence and ensure further scrutiny and probity of the deal,” he added.

Mr Opoku said if supported, the Agyapa Royalties deal could change the economic fortunes of the country.